You are here

Mir Chakar’s Fort desolated place but an emblem of a great ruler

In the 15th century, Mir Chakar Khan Rind became the first King of Balochistan and he established the first Kingdom of Balochistan. Mir Chakar Rind lived in the hills of Sibi and became the head of Rind tribe at the age of 18 after the death of his father Mir Shahak Khan Rind. Mir Chakar's fiefdom was short lived because of a civil war between the Lashari and Rind tribes of Balochistan.

Mir Chakar Khan, the Baloch ruler of Rind tribe, left Balochistan after nonstop disputes with Lashari tribe and settled in the precincts of present day Okara in 1518 as a foothold for his campaigning against the then rulers of Multan. He cooperated with Mughal emperor Humayun against Sher Shah Soori and gained power and respect in the area.

He is said to have built a fort and a mosque near the existing village Satgarah. Locals believe that the site of existing village was used as a Baloch graveyard and Mir Chakar Khan was buried there in 1565 in a tomb built by him. Later in 1830, Maharaja Ranjeet Singh, during his own wars for Multan, built a fort on the site of Baloch graveyard. He demolished the roof of Mir’s tomb, desecrated the grave and used it as one of the bastion for his fort. The Sikh fort still stands, however, in very dilapidated condition.

June 28, 2013 - Multan—The Punjab government has decided to conserve and restore the Satgarah Fort built by Maharaja Ranjeet Singh around 180 years ago in Okara and tomb of Baloch chieftain and folk hero Mir Chakar Khan Rind that existed there over two centuries before the fort construction by the Sikh ruler.

It’s an interesting desolated place to visit for those who have great interest in exploring heritage. As Pakistan is rich with ancient heritage.